Happy Forensic Friday! Do y’all know what my favorite forensic joke is? Well, I’ll tell you!
What do you call an alligator in a hat? AN INVESTIGATOR…haha get it?!? So cheesy but I laugh every time ?
With that joke in mind, we have made it to the last interview in this “So you want to be a [enter forensic job here]” series. I wanted to save the best (and I am biased even as a latent print examiner) forensic discipline for last…crime scene investigation!
From my own past experience, either educational or on the job, talking with students, or giving tours to the public, it is clear that everyone wants to be where the action is…at the crime scene!
I’m not sure whether it’s the thrill of the unknown, the hustle and bustle of an active investigation, the crime scene cargo pants, or the one-liners from CSI Miami that hooked me (and don’t lie, they hooked you too), but my love for crime scene investigation runs deep!
An Overview of Crime Scene Investigation
Let’s briefly dive into what crime scene investigation is all about.
The purpose of crime scene investigation is to be able to gather evidence that helps highlight the events of a crime in hopes of identifying a suspect. This is done by carefully documenting the crime scene with photos, measurements, 3D scans, and detailed notes. Probative evidence at a scene is carefully collected and processed to generate potential leads. No one scene is alike and they all pose their unique challenges.
Being a crime scene investigator is not for the faint of heart. You work long, crazy hours, the working conditions can be brutal, certain crimes really take a toll on your mental health, and sometimes you don’t find the answers you worked so hard to find.
On the flip side, nothing beats working alongside other experts in the field, the brilliant collaboration that happens on and off scene, and the small victories that make those long hours worth it!
So You Want to be a Crime Scene Investigator
I could think of no better person than my gal Emily to give you a rundown of what you can expect as a crime scene investigator. On top of her brains and beauty, she is also the only civilian and the only female in our department’s crime scene unit…talk about a total boss babe!
If you are curious about what it’s really like to be a CSI, keep on reading! Spoiler alert, real-life CSI work is far from how they portray it on TV!
Emily’s Interview
Title/position: Forensic Scientist II
Primary job duties as a CSI include:
Respond to scenes ranging from property crime (like a breaking and entering) to homicide. At the scene, CSI’s are responsible for scene documentation through photographs, videos, sketching and mapping, and notes. CSI’s also perform a general search for physical evidence and proceed to a more invasive search (i.e. altering the scene by moving items to search for evidence). Searching for evidence can include latent print processing, chemical application to search for body fluids (e.g. Bluestar), and use of an alternate light source to search for body fluids and trace evidence. Once items of evidence have been identified, the items are collected and preserved for additional processing if requested. CSI’s only get one shot to process the crime scene! Depending on the severity of the crime, scene processing can take several days.
As a civilian Forensic Scientist, I am able to respond to Crime Scenes and perform the above functions, as well as process evidence in the CSU Laboratory. Processing usually involves examining suspect or victim clothing and searching for body fluids and trace evidence.
How did you get interested in the field of Forensic Science?
I took a Forensic Science class in high school which was my first exposure to the world of Forensics. I have always been a big puzzler, and Forensics involves a great deal of problem solving. Forensic Science combined my love for science and my love for puzzles.
How did you decide on a career as a crime scene investigator?
I was very open to the different disciplines of forensics when I was applying to jobs. I was lucky enough to learn a little bit about each from the classes offered in my masters of forensic science program. I narrowed down serology and crime scene as my favorites. I knew I didn’t want to be stuck in a lab setting all day, and crime scene response is a great way to expand your forensic science knowledge.
What excites you the most about the discipline of crime scene investigation?
The rush of responding to a homicide scene! Sounds awful, but those are usually the most complex and different types of scenes. Homicide scene processing usually involves using the vast array of tools you have at your disposal, which we don’t get to “play” with every day.
What is something about working as a CSI that caught you by surprise?
Dumpster diving!! Believe it or not, we often find ourselves in dumpsters looking for evidence. This is definitely not a glamorous job.
What aspects of this field do you find most challenging?
The mental toughness. There are incidents that hit you hard that you don’t fully process until days later. CSIs need a good support system to deal with the things they see every day.
In order to succeed, what qualities should one possess?
Flexibility – no two scenes are the same. You need to be able to adjust your methodology on the go, especially when inclement weather is involved! Also, you need to be flexible in your personal life; you never know when you will get the call to respond to a scene. Usually, it’s all hands on deck when it’s a homicide.
Team player – you can’t process a scene alone. It’s important to be able to work with other people, and at times, rely on those people to help get you through hour 12 of standing in the freezing cold, at 2 AM, processing a crime scene.
Detail oriented – I think this is self-explanatory.
The 5 P’s! Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance – be prepared for ANYTHING. You don’t want to be that a-hole standing out in the cold without a hat and gloves.
Where do you see the future of the CSI going?
Very science based!!! A majority of the advanced crime scene disciplines are developing standards to follow that involve science degrees. Take that biochemistry class you’ve been avoiding!
If you were to give one piece of advice to an aspiring CSI, what would it be?
Try to find an internship that involves scene work – even if it’s not for credit. I have seen interns experience their first dead body and it wasn’t pretty. Fortunately, they were able to find out how they felt about it before committing to a job!
I hope this interview gets you excited about pursuing a career as a crime scene investigator! A huge thank you to Emily for taking the time to share her experience in the field!
If you are interested in pursuing a career in forensics, check out these other interviews with latent print examiners, firearms examiners, and DNA analysts!
